Every morning upon my consciousness surfacing after a sleep, I feel so dead. Or to at least cut myself some slack, just my eyes—my eyes always feel dead after waking up. No, it's not on the same level as 8man's dead fish eyes since mine are in a different sense. It's about how unavoidably dry my eyes can get every morning, and they just don't want to open.

If this actually happens to every single human in the world, please tell me immediately.

But even in the middle of that, my eyes still popped out of their sockets. I have basically broken the laws of physics. See this, in the formula of pressure, force and area (perhaps also volume) are inversely proportional. Meaning, when the area is lower, the force is stronger and vice versa. I suppose one example of that is a spray. Let's just say that you puncture a hole on a water bottle with a needle; the release of water looks like a thin line and somewhat strong, right? But when you make a hole with a nail, the water will come out weaker.

An idiot's (Gin's) physics class!

My eyes were totally wide open, yet they still shot out like a gun. As though my ability to speak was severed from my brain, I remained sat on my bed, speechless, as I slowly recover from my scarce breathing.

"You're not a morning person, Aruji, so please don't be so loud…"

"…

…!" still, I can't speak while my gaze is still in front of this spectacle.

"…? Aruji? You okay there? Don't tell me you're having high blood again? Did you take your maintenance medicine?

…

Huh…?"

I then gestured to lightly touch my throat and open my mouth. No worries, I haven't gotten mute, I am just too flabbergasted. As I expected, he did the same thing and let out from the throat."

"A-A-A-Aaaaahhhhhhhh.

…

…!"

He jolted from his fingers and toes, and jumped back on fours as the confusion has finally hit him.

"Haku."

"Wait a moment, Aruji… I feel so confused right now. I don't understand this sensation on my throat, and it felt like things in this room have gotten smaller. Even you, Aruji, look a little shorter…"

"Isn't that the first time I've been described like that in a while…"

Screw it, I've gotten over it.

"Ask yourself first why you're not meowing… yawn~

Morning, anyway," I jumped out of the bed with a giant yawn and trod towards the door.

Nonetheless, I watched Haku in his confusion and stepped away from the mirror to let him behold that existence that will be reflected.

His eyes slowly widened with a hint of fright while he tried to move around. Then as though in slow motion, he carefully released his hands from the floor and slowly rose up with his knees slowly unfolding and his back straightening to a standstill.

"Oh, you have an average height, I see."

"WHAT?!"

"On the same intensity, that's what I wanted to ask you."

"D-D-D-Did I b-become… human…?"

~ ~ ~

Unfortunately, he was not one of the tropes of anthropomorphized cats with cat ears and a tail. But if anything, he retained the dark gray color on his fairly long hair, and the pale blue eyes that is very similar to mine if I do say so myself. From the looks of it, it appears that in this form, he is around 16-18 years old. And hey, he has some looks, but his glare is still prominent.

Man, I feel old looking at him.

Sadly, it was not yet so cold to take out the kotatsu, so we were stuck sitting on the sofas in an attempt to gain some new knowledge on this utterly unexpected circumstance.

"Umm… what is this that you gave me, Aruji…?"

"Well, as you can see, the one on your left is the one that you usually eat. Who knows what reaction you'll have in this form."

Obviously, things were very weird for him. He is so used to eating with his mouth, and for me to make him submit on using a spoon, it was confusing. Anyway, a spoonful later and I may have proven my hypothesis—Haku is in a human form entirely physically with how somewhat unpleasantly he reacted on the food he so used to eat.

"Woah, so you swallowed it?"

"It still tastes the same but this is so bizarre…"

He cleansed his palette with a chug of water and proceeded to dig in on the food on the right.

"…! What is this, Aruji… This is so good…!"

I can't help but think that this scene kind of reminds me of feeding a homeless beggar that I took from the streets… I'm sorry.

"Those are the sausages I made and some fried rice. If you want more, feel free to eat them all since you know that I don't eat rice in the mornings."

"O-Oh, right. You're going to work.

But will I have to do my lunch today…?"

"Hmm, it's nice that you're still very insightful, but I have some leftovers on the fridge from my successful experiments. You know how to use a microwave so I hope we're good on that.

Actually… I'll go to work an hour later."

Then I leaned forward with the opening animation of my camera from my phone. I switched to the front camera and fitted my face and Haku's on the frame.

"I'm sure you know this already, but we're the least photogenic beings in this world."

"Of course I know that, and that's why I'm going to destroy Hiro and Sean's morning with this.

'Hey, 'sup… woke up with Haku as a human… so I'll be late… here's a pic… for proof…' and send."

Afterwards I threw my phone somewhere on the couch.

"How are you faring with that body?"

"W-Well… it definitely is different… it's not intended for quadrupedal movements… and it's strange that I can fold my my fingers like this…" he did what he said and stretched his entire body out.

"You say that while stretching like a cat.

Anyway, any idea how this happened, Haku?"

"Even I don't know, really. I didn't feel anything weird when I was sleeping and I didn't have any thoughts of wanting this form.

Granted, I used to think what if I was like what I am now, but that's an old thought."

"I guess no basis will help us.

Then, do you still have cat-like tendencies?"

"Hmm… I think my senses have dulled a bit and I feel as lazy as ever, but my body still feels- AS LIGHT…!!"

My word. Just when I brought out a laser he immediately reacted to it.

Next to that, I readied my right arm while he was still confused and pushed my palm swiftly in front of this cat's face. Unexpectedly, he reacted quite well even in that speed and moved away instantly.

"Nice. I guess we can test out your current physique sometime if you appear to remain on that form in a while.

I'm honestly a little concerned, however. You have to remember that you appear as a human right now. I'm not saying that you have to act like us, but I just want to know if you are going to have limitations."

Instead of immediately seeking for an answer, I gave him some time to sort out his thoughts and come to a response.

"I… think I'll be fine as long as I remain inside.

All these years I'm basically watching and observing you, Aruji. I know your habits, your lifestyle, and your ways inside this house. Maybe in due time, I'll be able to perform the things you do."

"Alright," I momentarily stood up to take away a knife from the grasp of the magnet on my wall, "this looks really dangerous but how about this?"

I slid the knife on the coffee table in front of Haku as though inviting him to hold it. I already realized that this could be a very bad idea, but Haku has proven that he is a resident of this house instead of anything.

Reluctantly, he held the grip of the knife and slid his thumb perpendicularly to the blade to probe on its sharpness. After feeling the roughness on his thumb, he cringed and held away the knife. But to my surprise, he started to assess his new hands and elongated fingers over the grip, and came to a point where he has held the knife the same way I do.

"I can still make a paw on my other hand."

Now I am very surprised. This may have ascertained that Haku might be more of an observant than I am.

"We'll get to that later, but still, let's play it safe for the time being. You aren't really sensitive to hot or cold so I hope things will be fine. You'll need to have some supervision on the harder things.

I said all that, but I realized I haven't asked your opinion on this. If possible, do you want to go back to being a cat—on a form you are most used to?"

"…

I think I'll be fine either way. But I still prefer being a cat because that was how I was born and grew. In some ways, this body doesn't really feel weird at all, but I can't help but miss the sense of scale that I was used to see and feel.

It felt like… I am freer when I'm on fours."

I chuckled, "Figured as much. I'm not forcing you to do anything. I think you'll like it more to not do much since you are still a cat.

As much as I want to stay home, I also have to consider my work, especially now that the days are starting to get hectic again.

That being said, you do you, and I'm sure you'll be fine."

"I hope so."

"Hmmm, I guess I'll take a shower now and head to work."

▪ ▪ ▪

Gin Sakato has left his home for work while Haku, the cat in the form of a human, continued to reside the house with the anxiety still in his mind.

"I never really wished this, and that thought was so long ago… I didn't really consider it as something very significant…"

But for a cat, overthinking was not the kind of thing he would do. He was still adjusting to the "strange" cognition that he is observing in his current form, bur he nonetheless took the TV remote and went to Crispyroll, just as he had observed being done time and time again.

He was shocked; his mind appears to be processing faster and is actually understanding the letters and words he did not afford to understand.

There were many shows that caught his attention and interest, but being laid down on the entirety of the couch, he found his position very comforting and optimal for a nap, and so he put back the remote on the table upon turning off the rectangle of noise without moving an inch of his core. With his position secured, he closed his eyes.

~ ~ ~

"Oja-ma-shimasu, nii-chan."

With the treasure of this house (key) held upon Anna Sakato's hands, she let herself in only to see a young man sleeping prone on the couch after a tread beyond the semi-wall. At a very initial glance, the younger sister immediately knew that it was not his brother. Gin still sported the short hair he accidentally got and had it cut like that from then on, in contrast to the fairly grown hair of the person; and his extremities weren't as long and defined as her brother's. She thought, if it wasn't obvious enough, Gin is a very fit and physical man.

"He is nowhere near swole and if you call him that he will definitely strangle you."

On Haku's side, however, he had immediately sensed and knew that it was Anna's entrance upon the movement of his ears on their own.

Nevertheless, Anna proved that she had a better social ability than his second brother with her attempt to ask the unknown person. But be that as it may, the slight tinge of fright was present in her.

"Excuse me… are you someone that I know…?"

Like a cat, he slowly ascended from lying down and wiped his eyes as he stared on the rather confused girl.

"Uhh… umm… rather, we know each other… yawn~

Oh, it's just 11…?"

Anna thought of calling Gin, but as this unknown person has stated, it is the eleventh hour of the day which means a surge of customers in Giotto's.

"Oh dear, I forgot that I'm-

I'm sorry that I didn't explain, Anna…"

Needless to say, the girl was shocked hearing her name.

"…I'm actually Haku. I don't know the reason why, but I woke up like this."

Anna's brows furrowed.

"Ah, right… Aruji wrote a note on the fridge. I'd suggest you see it."

Then she does as what was told. Indeed, Anna saw the diagonal handwriting of the owner of the house clamped on a fridge magnet saying,

"I suppose Haku directed you here, so yeah, that guy is the cat of the house. I nearly stepped on him earlier.

Anyway, continue on your day."

"…

So… no more belly rubs…?"

"We'll find out if I actually turn back…"

"Why does this family adjust so quickly on unexpected things…"

~ ~ ~

"So it is a day off for you today, Anna?"

"Yup. But I hate midweek holidays… It goes by so fast!!

I just realized, so you can really talk, Haku!"

"Yes, I can.

But I assume you have something you need here?"

"Nope, nothing. Just wanna hang out."

"I see…"

"Wait, what are going to do for lunch?"

"We already tested that I can eat human food, and there's food on the fridge that I can heat up.

Aruji said that I'm not to use the kitchen without someone watching me. Really, I can only do so little."

Anna had a deep thought, but the signature cowlick stood upright and she headed to the front door.

"Please wait a bit. I'll be back quickly."

…

Indeed, she was, but with the accompaniment of her mother.

"Oh my, is this really you, Haku?"

At this point, the cat has given up on the family's interpretation of what is unbelievable.

"I suddenly woke up like this earlier. Aruji asked me to watch over the place."

"Wow. Is this how you usually talk to my son? So what he and Martin said was really true."

"Umm… why did you bring your mom with you, Anna…?"

"We don't know how long you'll be like this, so we'll teach you some things.

You're a cat thus you're a cat; you're a cat, but you appear as a human; and you're a human so why not experience what we do? Of course, if that's fine with you."

"I'm not really spoiled or picky as a cat, so it is fine."

"Yay, then can you allow us to teach you how to cook? Nii said that you can't without someone watching, right? Now there are two!"

It was not a matter of reluctance or submission on the side of Haku. He was never a person that complains over things to begin with, as he knows of the things that have been given to him even before settling in this abode. If anything, he wanted to do something for the humans closest to him.

"Please lead me then…"

"Yay!"

~ ~ ~

"Um, actually, Aruji and I tested if I'm able to hold a knife earlier. It seems that I somehow inherited how he holds it, but I'm not confident while I still don't know how to move well."

"Can we see?"

Henceforth Haku took one of the many knives from the wall and held it in a way where his pointer finger and thumb are grasping the back of the blade not tightly, yet also not lightly.

"Ohhh, yes. That's also what Nii taught me since I have more control with my forearm. You're doing great!"

"Well," Senna interjected, "we won't force you to do everything as this will be our lunch. Kei and his dad are also at their work so we have all the time for today."

"Then let's have a blast without getting Haku's fingers cut…!"

"Do you really have to say that…?"

~ ~ ~

5:36pm.

"Bring home the potato."

"Welcome back, Nii."

"What's uuup, imouto."

"I can't believe you actually bought a Sw*tch, Nii," said Anna as she held the console.

"A certain aide of a rich family kept bugging me.

Anyway…"

In the kitchen of the open plan house, he saw the back of Haku.

"Oya, what do we have here."

"Oh, welcome back, Aruji."

"That is the most active greeting you've given me. So… Anna taught you how to cook?"

"Why does nothing surprise you, Nii…"

"Even I was shocked that the cat has turned into a human, imouto. My so little IQ even plummeted for a moment."

"Mom will be coming back to help out for dinner," Gin's grumble was ignored, "also, it's not Wednesday but why not? Let's host the dinner tonight."

"Funny how a chef is working 9-to-5 and then I do the same thing at home. Well, the same goes for Rin.

Alright, can you tell next door about this while Uncle and Rin aren't home yet?"

"On it~"

"Can you follow my pace, Haku?"

"Ahahahahahahahahaha.

Absolutely not."

It's not Wednesday, but it was another great dinner, my dudes.

▪ ▪ ▪

‹Gin›

As expected, it was another cold morning that a T-shirt failed to fight.

…

But apples, that was a mega long dream…

I've never actually asked the cat's opinion on that, but personally, I am very much satisfied with the way things are. At our status quo, Haku and I have been standing on equal terms regardless of our differences. That was all possible because of my ability to communicate with his kind, and so I was able to talk with him like a friend equally as I do with Nagi and the others.

I could never ask for anything more than that.

…

But then there's a futon laid on the floor of my room. I repeat, a futon is currently placed on the floor and is being used by someone covered entirely with the blanket apart from the head. And on that, I see dark gray hair of fair length on that person and is now turning to face me with his sleeping visage…

…which I vividly saw on my dreams.

"…

I thought this was a What If chapter…?"